"Contrary to popular belief, the word Allah is NOT a contraction of al-ilah (al meaning 'the', and ilah meaning 'god').

Had it been so, then the expression ya Allah ('O Allah!') would have been ungrammatical, because according to the Arabic language when you address someone by the vocative form ya followed by a title, the al ('the') must be dropped from the title. For example, you cannot say ya ar-rabb but must say ya rabb (for 'O Lord'). So if the word Allah was al-ilah ('the God'), we would not be able to say: ya Allah, which we do."

« Last Edit: January 30, 2011, 12:38:30 PM by Jetavan »

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

There is no question that the word "Allah" is the Arabic word for God. We use it in the Church. But there's speculation as to why Mohammed used the crescent moon as a symbol of Islam, which also connects the origin of the word "Allah" to a Hindu moon goddess.

God bless (Allah yi barik ).

There is no "Hindu moon goddess." There is a Hindu God associated with the moon named Chandra which has nothing to do with the name "Allah" at all.

There is no question that the word "Allah" is the Arabic word for God. We use it in the Church. But there's speculation as to why Mohammed used the crescent moon as a symbol of Islam, which also connects the origin of the word "Allah" to a Hindu moon goddess.

God bless (Allah yi barik ).

There is no "Hindu moon goddess." There is a Hindu God associated with the moon named Chandra which has nothing to do with the name "Allah" at all.

I think the speculation that connects "Allah" to a Hindu lunar deity, comes from the existence of a royal dynasty in ancient India, called the "Aila" dynasty, which was part of the Lunar (as opposed to Solar) dynasty. (The Buddha hailed from the Solar dynasty, as did Rama; Krishna, though, was of the Lunar dynasty.) The Aila dynasty was so-called because they descended from an individual named "Ila" (which looks sort of like it could be connected to the Semitic root "El"). Ila is also called "Ida".

In any event, it shouldn't be surprising that Allah might have some lunar connection, since the Sinai of "Mt. Sinai" might be related to the lunar deity of the Babylonians, Sin. One might predict that various Semitic ideas of deity were related, in the past, to the moon.

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

"Contrary to popular belief, the word Allah is NOT a contraction of al-ilah (al meaning 'the', and ilah meaning 'god').

Had it been so, then the expression ya Allah ('O Allah!') would have been ungrammatical, because according to the Arabic language when you address someone by the vocative form ya followed by a title, the al ('the') must be dropped from the title. For example, you cannot say ya ar-rabb but must say ya rabb (for 'O Lord'). So if the word Allah was al-ilah ('the God'), we would not be able to say: ya Allah, which we do."

Brother Isa says the Arabic equivalent of the English phrase "my God" is "ilaahi" rather than "Allahi". This usage shows that the word Allah was derived from Al-ilah.

I believe "Allah" comes from the Aramaic Alaha and Arabs drop the "A". If the Quran Allah is not the Alaha of Christianity is another matter. Former Muslims in the ACOE are so happy that they pray to Alaha and connect so much with the Church's liturgical language (Arabic comes from Aramaic in part). So many things they connect to. A former Muslim friend told me of a wonderful "coincidence" :

Be Ism Allah El-Rahman El-Raheemin the name of Allah, Most gracious most merciful

Beshm Awa wa Owra wa Rukha d'Qdsha Almeen(In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit)

"Contrary to popular belief, the word Allah is NOT a contraction of al-ilah (al meaning 'the', and ilah meaning 'god').

Had it been so, then the expression ya Allah ('O Allah!') would have been ungrammatical, because according to the Arabic language when you address someone by the vocative form ya followed by a title, the al ('the') must be dropped from the title. For example, you cannot say ya ar-rabb but must say ya rabb (for 'O Lord'). So if the word Allah was al-ilah ('the God'), we would not be able to say: ya Allah, which we do."

Brother Isa says the Arabic equivalent of the English phrase "my God" is "ilaahi" rather than "Allahi". This usage shows that the word Allah was derived from Al-ilah.

Perhaps. But how that "ilaahi" discount the possibility that "my God" in Arabic simply uses the "ilah" form, rather than the "Allah" form?

« Last Edit: January 31, 2011, 11:22:08 AM by Jetavan »

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

I believe "Allah" comes from the Aramaic Alaha and Arabs drop the "A". If the Quran Allah is not the Alaha of Christianity is another matter. Former Muslims in the ACOE are so happy that they pray to Alaha and connect so much with the Church's liturgical language (Arabic comes from Aramaic in part). So many things they connect to. A former Muslim friend told me of a wonderful "coincidence" :

Be Ism Allah El-Rahman El-Raheemin the name of Allah, Most gracious most merciful

Beshm Awa wa Owra wa Rukha d'Qdsha Almeen(In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit)

Former Muslims are so happy in the ACOE

I saw a television show on the Koran that revealed Arabic passages written over Aramaic/Syriac version of the text. That makes sense to me. Syriac had a wider use and longer written history than Arabic at the time.

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Quote from: GabrieltheCelt

If you spend long enough on this forum, you'll come away with all sorts of weird, untrue ideas of Orthodox Christianity.

Quote from: orthonorm

I would suggest most persons in general avoid any question beginning with why.

"Contrary to popular belief, the word Allah is NOT a contraction of al-ilah (al meaning 'the', and ilah meaning 'god').

Had it been so, then the expression ya Allah ('O Allah!') would have been ungrammatical, because according to the Arabic language when you address someone by the vocative form ya followed by a title, the al ('the') must be dropped from the title. For example, you cannot say ya ar-rabb but must say ya rabb (for 'O Lord'). So if the word Allah was al-ilah ('the God'), we would not be able to say: ya Allah, which we do."

The rule on yaa is correct, although what is said is ya-llaahu, following another rule of al-, that the "a" drops out after a vowel. Allaah also has its own vocative "Allaahumma," which is also unique. As common nouns are reduced by usage to Proper nouns, e.g. al-Iskandariyyah "Alexandria", exceptions in some rules begin to be bent.

The link doesn't deal with the issue of no "Allaahii" my God, nor "Allaahu Ibrahiima" the God of Abraham, etc. i.e. all the other rules of the definite article.

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Question a friend, perhaps he did not do it; but if he did anything so that he may do it no more.A hasty quarrel kindles fire,and urgent strife sheds blood.If you blow on a spark, it will glow;if you spit on it, it will be put out; and both come out of your mouth